Maritime Commission to Challenge SoCal Ports’ Trucks Program
The Federal Maritime Commission voted to seek a court order to stop parts of the southern California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach’s clean trucks program, the Associated Press reported.
The FMC will file for an injunction in federal court, claiming the new rules governing truck emissions will reduce competition and either increase transportation costs or reduce service at the port, AP said.
The program, which began this month, retired more than 2,000 older diesel trucks from the fleet that serves the port and will phase out about 16,000 diesel cargo trucks over the next five years, AP reported.
Port officials have said replacing the program will reduce emissions from trucks by 80% by 2012.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department filed an amicus brief in support of American Trucking Associations’ challenge to the sister ports’ concession plans.
Together, L.A. and Long Beach make up the largest U.S. port complex.
